Author Topic: Match Game 85 (Read 40939 times)

Jamey Greek · « **on:** February 20, 2009, 08:34:15 PM »

Was there a pilot shot for Match Game 85? I have heard that KXTV 10 in Sacramento (then a CBS affiliate) was supposed to carry the show. Have stations already signed on for the version? Before ET revealed Gene's age? Who was supposed to announce? Wasn't it supposed to be shot at Studio 33?

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2009, 10:52:53 PM »

I don't think there was a pilot. In the trade ads, there was just a pic of Gene on a blue background, IIRC. Check the NATPE issues of Broadcasting or Variety for confirmation. I don't think they got as far as choosing announcers, but I would guess either Johnny Olson or Gene Wood would have gotten the nod. Probably would have shot in 33.

Don Howard · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2009, 05:06:25 PM »

[quote name=\'Jamey Greek\' post=\'208527\' date=\'Feb 20 2009, 08:34 PM\']
Was there a pilot shot for Match Game 85? I have heard that KXTV 10 in Sacramento (then a CBS affiliate) was supposed to carry the show.
[/quote]
The timeline of this intrigues me a bit. At what point was Match Game '85 abandoned to free Gene for his dream job at the helm of Ersatz Break The Bank?
If ET spilling the beans screwed up the MG85 debut (I presume it would have been a December 1984 announcement), was the viewpoint of the BtB85 upper echelon "I don't care how old he is. We want HIM!"......for thirteen weeks.

Fan4Sure · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2009, 05:20:02 PM »

Was it a sorta mock pilot, Or for real?

aaron sica · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2009, 06:05:49 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'208584\' date=\'Feb 21 2009, 05:06 PM\']
[quote name=\'Jamey Greek\' post=\'208527\' date=\'Feb 20 2009, 08:34 PM\']
Was there a pilot shot for Match Game 85? I have heard that KXTV 10 in Sacramento (then a CBS affiliate) was supposed to carry the show.
[/quote]
The timeline of this intrigues me a bit. At what point was Match Game '85 abandoned to free Gene for his dream job at the helm of Ersatz Break The Bank?
If ET spilling the beans screwed up the MG85 debut (I presume it would have been a December 1984 announcement), was the viewpoint of the BtB85 upper echelon "I don't care how old he is. We want HIM!"......for thirteen weeks.
[/quote]

I remember reading in a trade magazine as well (this would have been around early '86 or ' early '87) that MG was going to be revived in the fall of '87 as well. Of course, this never happened either.

Don Howard · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2009, 07:32:44 PM »

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'208589\' date=\'Feb 21 2009, 06:05 PM\']
I remember reading in a trade magazine as well (this would have been around early '86 or ' early '87) that MG was going to be revived in the fall of '87 as well. Of course, this never happened either.
[/quote]
Do you suppose ET gave out the birthday in December 1986 then and THAT'S the time (not in 1985) when it was decreed that a Match Game with Gene wouldn't sell?

aaron sica · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2009, 09:06:12 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'208591\' date=\'Feb 21 2009, 07:32 PM\']
Do you suppose ET gave out the birthday in December 1986 then and THAT'S the time (not in 1985) when it was decreed that a Match Game with Gene wouldn't sell?
[/quote]

Quite possibly. I wish I knew where these trade magazines were at or what they were called..I don't think it was B&C (was it just known as "Broadcasting" at the time?)..I long pitched them. I shall try and find old
Broadcasting mags sometime to solve this mystery once and for all...

I'm so surprised with as many GS fans as we have here (some older than me), that a firm date for this MG remake was never established.

I wonder if the 1985 that is embedded in our brains comes from some confusion with the reruns airing in '85..

BrandonFG · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2009, 09:11:26 PM »

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'208597\' date=\'Feb 21 2009, 09:06 PM\']
Quite possibly. I wish I knew where these trade magazines were at or what they were called..I don't think it was B&C (was it just known as "Broadcasting" at the time?)
[/quote]
Yep...my college's library had several bound copies, where each "book" consisted of about six months worth of magazines. Used to spend countless hours reading that freshman year. :-)

There was another one that I can't recall as well. I believe it folded around 1987 or so.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2009, 09:25:37 PM »

The mag you're thinking of is probably Television/Radio Age. Electronic Media was (is?) more of a tabloid sized publication. Both had scads of ads for shows that never were.

aaron sica · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2009, 11:41:02 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'208599\' date=\'Feb 21 2009, 09:25 PM\']
The mag you're thinking of is probably Television/Radio Age. Electronic Media was (is?) more of a tabloid sized publication. Both had scads of ads for shows that never were.
[/quote]

From what I remember of this mag (and I do remember TV/Radio age as well), this mag had a chart of the new syndicated shows and when they may premiere.

Incidentally, Brandon, I lived close to a college and looked at Broadcasting all the time. I remember seeing something about the Shafer MG possibly going to syndication but that never materialized of course...

chris319 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2009, 03:23:54 AM »

Until I hear it from a reliable source, I'm chalking up this "Gene Rayburn's age on ET" story as so much Internet fanb0i mythology. Do you seriously think there's anyone in the industry who couldn't have estimated Gene's age?

ObGSF: It's not nice to play pranks on the board. One could have one's posting priveleges suspended.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #11 on:** February 22, 2009, 04:08:26 PM »

The mystery book I read...I remember a few early-80s copies included ads for a graphic design company, and each ad contained screenshots from their clients' commercials. I remember being very shocked to find screenshots from my current TV station, c. 1981-82.

snowpeck · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2009, 11:57:24 PM »

My college library has nearly all of the run of Broadcasting Magazine. I distinctly remember seeing the ads for the new updated Match Game starring Gene appearing in early 87.

Greg

Robair · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2009, 02:24:36 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'208607\' date=\'Feb 22 2009, 03:23 AM\']
Until I hear it from a reliable source, I'm chalking up this "Gene Rayburn's age on ET" story as so much Internet fanb0i mythology. Do you seriously think there's anyone in the industry who couldn't have estimated Gene's age?
[/quote]

Someone told that story once during a radio interview, but attributed it to the 1990 revival of MG. Said that old Gene was signed, sealed and delivered, until the producers realized Gene was that old. Tell you the truth, I had no idea he was as old as he was when I was enjoying him on the 7x series.

Oh, and the person in that radio interview? Hardly an Internet hacker. Guy's name was Charles Nelson Reilly.

aaron sica · « **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2009, 01:14:03 PM »

[quote name=\'snowpeck\' post=\'208636\' date=\'Feb 22 2009, 11:57 PM\']
My college library has nearly all of the run of Broadcasting Magazine. I distinctly remember seeing the ads for the new updated Match Game starring Gene appearing in ads in early 87.

Greg
[/quote]

Good! Then I'm not too crazy then...

I wonder if the 1985 year had anything to do with the book "Total Television" listing 1985 as a year that MG was on...When in reality it was just the syndie episodes getting another run in a few spots...